British resident launches Number 10 petition for British expatriates to vote in the Spanish general elections

PALMA
CALVIA-RESIDENT Nigel Skinner has posted a petition on the Downing Street Number 10 website calling for British expatriates to be given the right to vote in Spanish general elections.

A number of countries, the latest being New Zealand, have signed reciprocal treaties with Spain giving them the right to vote in general elections and Nigel Skinner said yesterday that he believes a large number of British expatriates living here would relish the opportunity to participate in the general election and have a say in who forms the Spanish and Balearic government.

Skinner, a member of the newly formed Europeos por España (Europeans for Spain) organisation, posted the petition on the official website of the Prime Minister's Office back in July and it has apparently received a steady number of hits from interested British expatriates.

The petition reads: “We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to create a reciprocal agreement with the Spanish government to allow British expatriates to vote in Spanish general elections”.